When life mimics the ‘imitation of life': dark comedy and cops

Back before Rodney King started it all and cameras everywhere, combined with YouTube as a venue for rendering it public, we all had an excuse. Almost an obligation. The function of society required we believe in the United States police corruption, aggressive, illegal behavior, planting evidence, blindered pursuit of targets without regard for evidence to the contrary, was rare.. Drug use on duty and unprovoked violence against suspects rare exceptions.

We can still believe that if we wish, but it’s more difficult today. YouTube is out there catching the law enforcement community in the act of being itself. Damning the whole with the broad brush of individuals performing every breach of minimum behavioral standards expected for public employees of any sort. But especially those where public trust is a necessary ingredient.

How can a jury unanimously agree to send a defendant to prison if every word a law enforcement officer utters under oath is suspect? Might as well as not be pure falsehood? If every piece of evidence presented stands an equal possibility of having been manufactured or planted by investigating officers? When juries become aware police are as prone to bald faced lying as they, themselves [jury members] are prone to self-serving falsehoods, convicting anyone of a crime without prima faci evidence is troublesome.

But I’ve digressed. It’s happening everywhere, and while the movie industry used to treat the subject with sinister frowns in Serpico and hundreds of other cop corruption movies, eventually Naked Gun 2 and ilk was inevitable. Airplane made it so.

Naked Gun 2 was a fun piece of work, but the US movie industry was too long-delayed in following it up with replacement of all those solemn, straight-faced cop movies with something nearer reality: farce. But outside the US the movie industry wasn’t shy.

Along comes Torrente. Unless you understand Portuguese you’ll have to read subtitles, but it’s a laugh a minute.

Evidently there is a whole string of these coming out of Portugal. And with a bit of searching, probably elsewhere.

Nothing much is sacred anymore. Real life bought the ticket out of idealistic delusions and wishful thinking. Thus far it isn’t standing in the way of filling up the prisons with testimony from these Keystone Kops, but that’s just habit and gut feel working. Who the hell needs credible testimony and evidence to convict some tattooed freak or arrogant black kid for whatever someone said he did? Someday that will fade.

Having yourself possession of an empty wallet is more than credible testimony today….. especially if you owned a formerly breathing canine put down by random SWAT team raiders who presented you with a bill for ammo used, zip ties and overtime pay. God bless America……

Hi Jules, Corrupt cops come in all shades and flavors. Had an uncle that was brutal and mean. He caused one of his own brothers to disown the family and disappear never to be heard from again in his life time. Then my own Dad did a disappearing act while WWII was going and they both worked in the same shipyard. There was a 15 year gap in communication and finally the offending brother contacted Dad. I remember the long agonizing period before my parents decided to make contact with him. Wish they hadn’t. He was a slime ball. He tried to get my Dad to beat me for something his own son, 20+ years my senior did. My Dad knew they lowlife he was and just told me to stay away from my cousin.

Then there are the cops in Albuquerque with the reputation that is becoming known nation wide. One of my nieces married one, before he joined the force. Still makes me wonder the kind of person he is as he manages to get out of nearly all the family get togethers…..2 in about 8 years he has attended…..make me wonder what he his hiding that he might let out of the bag by being here and cuts and runs about 30 minutes after the whole family symbols. Uses his kids as an excuse….seamed like normal behavior for kids about time to eat……..really spooky behavior…suspicious, too.

Heard all the stories of bad cops during the war years in California and knew of those in the south during the 60′ & 70’s mostly against blacks, poor whites, homeless and indignant. Monied people, and folks of high social rank could get by scott free. The more it changes the more it stays the same. Some good cops but, lots of bad ones to go with them.
Blessings, M.

Mary: All shades and flavors sums it up. Maybe you’re right and there’s an occasional honest one. I can’t testify to it. Maybe they just keep off the radar so’s to not get their pockets picked by other cops. Gracias, J